Tuesday, December 31, 2013

“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” This question is posed by the classic New Year’s Eve song Auld Lang Syne. The song originated in Scotland and is sung at times of farewell (to the old year, with an uncertain new year ahead).

The Talmud (Berachot 58b) cites an interesting rule about old friends and how, indeed, they are never truly forgotten. “Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: One who sees a friend after a lapse of thirty days says: Blessed is He who has kept us alive and preserved us and brought us to this season. If [it is] after a lapse of twelve months he says: Blessed is He who revives the dead. Rav said: The dead are not forgotten till after twelve months, as it says (Psalms 31:13): ‘I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a lost vessel.’”

Jewish life, however, is long on memory. The first year after a person passes away, there are numerous commemorative markers (shiva - the first seven days; shloshim - the thirty day mark; yahrtzeit - the one year mark). Afterward, the annual observance of the anniversary of death (yahrtzeit) generally keeps a person’s memory alive for many more years.

In some cases, a person who has passed away only comes to mind at the time of their yahrtzeit, just as the return of an old friend into one’s life brings back memories of times past.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Of the ten plagues that devastated the land of Egypt, the plague of darkness appears to be the most benign. Certainly being trapped in the dark is frightening (sensory deprivation is a recognized form of torture), but is it as devastating as rivers of blood, ravaging beasts or painful boils?While the plague is simply known as darkness, the Torah actually refers to it as “thick darkness” (Exodus 10:22). In normal darkness, a person’s eyes slowly adjust to the darkness around them. This did not happen in Egypt. The Bible, in Exodus 10:21, calls it a “darkness that may be felt,” which, according to tradition, means that the darkness was so thick that it was physically tangible. The Midrash states: “one who sat could not stand up, one who stood up could not sit down...” (Exodus Rabbah 14:3).This thick darkness served several purposes. The first had to do with the spiritual state of some of the Israelites. During the next and final plague, the death of the firstborn, any Israelite who did not mark their door (meaning: who did not choose God) suffered the same fate as the Egyptians. There were, however, some Israelites who were such vile transgressors that they did not even merit this choice. During the plague of darkness, these Israelites perished and were buried. Because these burials were obscured by the darkness, the Egyptians could not absolve themselves of responsibility for the plagues by pointing out that Israelites had also died.The exceptional darkness did not affect the Israelites, as it says: “but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:23).The significance of this is explained in the Midrash, which notes that during the darkness, the Jews inspected the homes of the Egyptians to know where their valuables were hidden so that, before leaving Egypt, they could claim the valuables as remuneration for the many terrible years of slavery (Exodus Rabbah 14:3).

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Every legal system, including halacha (Jewish law), has its letter of the law, its spirit of the law, and the gray areas in-between. Commercial dealings are one area of life in which those gray areas occur frequently. Take, for instance, the act of returning an already purchased item.There may be many factors why a person chooses to return a purchased item. The most obvious is because the product is defective. According to halacha, there is no time limit for returning a genuinely defective item - a defect that was always there and was unnoticed by the buyer at the time of purchase. Once the defect is noticed, however, the item should not be used.The gray area occurs on issues such as what defines a “defect,” and how is the true meaning of a no-questions-asked return policy properly interpreted. For instance, is there a problem with buying an item with the intention of using it once or twice or for a limited time and then returning it? What about returning a school bag that is frayed after two years of use in order to receive a new bag without charge? In neither case is the item defective, but in both cases the company policy permits the return. The question is, does halacha?In Jewish law, there is an important concept known as G’neivat Da’at -- meaning misleading and deceptive behavior. Open return policies are introduced by marketers in order to encourage people to shop in their stores and feel free to purchase something on a trial basis if they are uncertain. It is disingenuous to pretend that one is trying out an item that they have every intention of returning. Being honest about one’s intention is a major aspect of Jewish law, and returning an item after two years of heavy use as if one is dissatisfied is certainly an act of questionable definition. Allowed by policy yes, the intention of the policy - perhaps not.(Please note that while halachically a return on a flawed item has no time limit, most stores today have specifically stated and limited return/exchange policies.)

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

To students of Jewish philosophy, the works of Franz Rosenzweig are a must read. Those who simply enjoy learning about the lives of fascinating Jews may also enjoy this introductory mini-bio.Rosenzweig was born in Kassel, Germany, on December 25, 1886. Like many German Jewish families, the Rosenzweigs were thoroughly assimilated into the German middle class, and their Jewish practice was minimal. In fact, Rosenzweig’s Jewish connection was so fragile that, for wider social acceptance, he came close to converting to Christianity.Encouraged to convert by several of his cousins and friends, Rosenzweig decided that he wished to experience one last High Holidays season before converting. That Yom Kippur, which he observed in an Orthodox synagogue in Berlin in 1913, was a major turning point in his life. Not only did he not convert, but he committed himself to an observant life.Rosenzweig’s great philosophical tract, The Star of Redemption, was published in 1921. In it, he posits that revelation is constantly occurring as part of the interaction of two triple relationships: the first between God, man and the world, and the other between creation, redemption and revelation.As part of his quest for Jewish growth, Rosenzweig founded “The House of Jewish Learning” (Der Lehrhaus) in 1920, where any and all were welcome to participate and study, explore and discuss all aspects of Jewish life.Rosenzweig is often associated with Martin Buber. Although there were many issues upon which they disagreed, they worked together to produce a highly-regarded translation of the Torah into German.In 1922, Rosenzweig developed ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and paralysis slowly overtook him. Even as he lost use of his limbs, he continued until work to the end, eventually communicating by blinking as the alphabet was recited by his dedicated wife, Edith.Franz Rosenzweig passed away at age 42, on December 10, 1929, in Frankfurt.

Friday, December 20, 2013

One does not often associate preachers with Judaism. There are, however, certain distinct personalities in Jewish history who are known for their ability to inspire through their oratory. The maggid (literally “teller”), as such a person is called, is known for bringing Torah and Jewish law to life through stories. This unique skill was epitomized by Rabbi Yaakov ben Wolf Kranz, better known as the Dubner Maggid (Maggid of Dubno, c. 1740 – 1804).

Born in Zetil, near Vilna, in Lithuania, Rabbi Kranz first began speaking in public in Mezeritch, Poland, where he was a student of the yeshiva there. He so impressed the town elders that they offered him a position as a preacher. After working in Mezeritch and Zolkov, he accepted a position in Dubno, where he remained for 18 years.

What made the Dubner Maggid such a powerful speaker was his use of parables, stories that illustrate moral points. When asked how he produced such accurate parables, he replied with a story of a man who found an archer at an archery range who had only perfectly accurate shots. When the man asked the archer how he had such consistent accuracy, the archer responded that first he shot the arrow and then he painted the target. The Dubner Maggid felt that this was very similar to his own method of preaching. First he understood the point he wished to make, and then he created the parable.

To help his listeners understand the words of the Torah, the Dubner Maggid created parables concerning kings, princes, parents, children, in-laws, and a wealth of other characters to whom the common person could relate. He was also recognized as a great scholar of Jewish law and his company was sought out by one of the greatest rabbis in Jewish history, the Vilna Gaon.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

When most people think about Jewish language they think of Hebrew or Yiddish, and sometimes of Ladino. In honor of UN Arabic Language Day, Jewish Treats would like to recognize the important role that Judeo-Arabic has played in Jewish life.Judeo-Arabic, like most dialects within the Jewish community, is a combination of the local cultural language, in this case, Arabic and Hebrew with a touch of Aramaic. While Judeo-Arabic had its origins within the Jewish communities of the Arabian peninsula, the use of the language only began to flourish after the Islamic conquest of the Near East, North Africa and Spain.Judeo-Arabic was both a spoken and a written language. In its written form, it was transcribed with Hebrew letters and sometimes included extra vowel markings taken from Arabic.Today, since the majority of the Judeo-Arabic communities live in Israel or in western countries, Judeo-Arabic has become a lost language. However, it was the language of scholarship from approximately the 8th century to the end of the 13th century. Indeed, some of the greatest works of Jewish scholarship were originally produced in Judeo-Arabic. These works include the writings of Saadia Gaon (including his Emunot v’Deot, Book of Doctrines and Beliefs), Bachya ben Joseph ibn Paquda (including his Chovot Halevavot, Duties of the Heart - link), Judah Halevi (including the Kuzari), and Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides, including his Moreh Nevuchim, Guide For The Perplexed, although his Mishneh Torah - codification of Jewish Law - was written in Hebrew).In addition to original scholarly works, many scripture and prayer books were translated into Judeo-Arabic. The translation of the Torah into Judeo-Arabic was known as sharh, which means translation. (This is similar to the word targum, which is the Aramaic translation of the Torah.)

Monday, December 16, 2013

Greek yogurt may be all the rage in food today, but did you know that it was the Greek-Jewish Carasso family who created Dannon yogurt? The descendant of a prominent Sephardic family, Isaac Carasso (1874-1939) was born in Ottoman Selonik (modern Thessaloniki, Greece). In 1912, after he moved his family to Barcelona, Spain, Isaac Carasso noticed that many Spanish children suffered from digestive disorders. He applied the theories of Ilya Metchnikoff that postulated the positive effects of lactic acid bacteria, and began producing yogurts containing lactic acid bacteria. These yogurts were sold by pharmacists. He named his new company Danone, the nickname of his son, Daniel.Daniel Carasso (December 16, 1905-2009) moved to Paris in 1923 and continued his father’s yogurt tradition, but only after studying both business and bacteriology. Carasso expanded Danone’s market through sharp marketing (Delicious and healthy - Danone is the dessert for happy digestion) and innovation (adding fruit for flavoring).Shortly after the Nazis entered Paris, Daniel and his new wife, Nina, escaped to New York, where Daniel quickly returned to yogurt making. After purchasing a small facility in which Greek Yogurts had been being produced, Carasso, along with Joe and Jose Metzger, created the Dannon Milk Products Company.The Carassos returned to Europe after the war. Their business had survived under the care of friends. Carasso started a campaign to increase his yogurt’s popularity and, in so doing, became an international business superstar. Daniel Carasso passed away at age 103 in Paris.In the last few decades, yogurt choices have expanded immensely. Of the many yogurt products available in North America, however, Dannon is known for producing yogurts that are kosher for Passover. Please note, however, that not all Dannon products are kosher and certification on the packaging is required.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

And it was in the ninth year of [King Zaddekiah’s] reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth (day) of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came, he and all his legions, upon Jerusalem, and encamped upon it and built forts around it. And the city came under siege until the eleventh year of King Zaddekiah. On the ninth of the month [of Av] the famine was intense in the city, the people had no bread, and the city was breached (The Second Book of Kings 25:1-4).

Siege! The word itself resonates with pain and suffering. In the case of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (in 587 B.C.E.), it was also the beginning of the end.

Having just vanquished the great Assyrian empire, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, sent his troops to quell any rebellion in the land of Judea, whose heart was the city of Jerusalem. The siege lasted for a year and a half. During this time, the city suffered immensely. Starvation, thirst, disease...all the horrors of siege were borne out, just as had been predicted by the prophet Jeremiah.

The siege of Jerusalem was the first step in what would become the Babylonian exile. When the Babylonians finally broke through the walls of the city, they destroyed the Holy Temple built by King Solomon. Adding to this great tragedy was the fact that the majority of the Jewish people were then exiled to Babylon.

The great sages declared the Tenth of Tevet, the day that the fateful siege began, as a fast day from sunrise to nightfall, to provide a time for people to reflect on their actions and do teshuva (repentance).

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

What happens when a final resting place isn’t so final? In our modern era of perpetual development and expanding cities, it is not unheard of for there to be requests to relocate entire cemeteries. Not surprisingly, Jewish law has an opinion on this very subject.The dignity of the dead is exceedingly important in Jewish law. A body is buried as quickly as possible and, before burial, the body is washed and prepared by a special society trained in maintaining the dignity of the dead. Therefore, disinternment is generally not permitted.“The bones may not be removed from an honorable grave to an honorable grave, from one unworthy grave to another, from an unworthy grave to one that is honorable and no need to state, from an honorable grave to one that is unworthy” (Jerusalem Talmud Moed Katan 2:4).And yet there are numerous examples in Jewish history of bodies being exhumed from their graves and re-interred elsewhere. Indeed, in the Torah itself, Joseph instructs his brothers to tell their descendants that when they ultimately leave Egypt and return to the land of Canaan, they should take his bones with them.The honor of being buried in the holy land is one of the several exceptions to the prohibition concerning the exhumation of a corpse. Others include being re-buried in a previously established family plot, being removed from a non-Jewish cemetery to a Jewish cemetery or when water seepage makes the grave unsafe. In situations of construction, since there is no recourse, the moving of the graves is generally permitted.It is interesting to note that the immediate family of the deceased whose grave is being relocated must treat the day of disinternment and reinternment (which should happen on the same day) as a day of mourning, similar to the mourning during the week of shiva.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Many of us remember learning to write research papers in school. Critical to receiving a good grade was composing a proper concluding paragraph to serve as a summation. While the prayer service of Pesukei D’zimra (Chapters of Song) is not an essay, it does have a concluding paragraph known as Yishtabach. The prayer of Yishtabach lists all the possible ways that the Jewish people can praise God: 1) song, 2) praise, 3) lauding, 4) hymns, 5) power, 6) governance 7) triumph 8) greatness 9) strength, 10) glory, 11) splendor, 12) holiness, 13) sovereignty, 14) blessings and 15) thanksgivings. Not coincidentally, the number fifteen in Hebrew would be written as a yud and a hey,* which is one of the basic names of God.Yishtabach concludes with a blessing that expresses not only the greatness of God, but celebrates God’s desire to be praised with songs – exactly what the Pesukei D’zimra have just accomplished.

Baruch She’amar and Yishtabach are attached to each other, like book ends. One who does not say Baruch She’amar, does not recite Yishtabach. Likewise, both prayers are recited while standing.

Additionally, it is preferable that when reading the 15 expressions of praise, the core of Yishtabach, one should try to say all 15 expressions one breath (or at least without interruption). According to the mystical teachings of the Zohar, when a person is interrupted during the 15 expressions of praise, “a fire comes out from the wings of the angels and says that whoever interrupts the recitation of God’s praise should be taken from this world” (Zohar, Terumah 132).

*Because yud-hey spells a name of God, the number 15 is abbreviated instead in Hebrew as tet-vav.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Question: What does a Sabbath-observant doctor do when a friend or neighbor needs emergency medical assistance on Shabbat? The answer: Everything necessary. Call an ambulance, cut a bandage, use a defibrillator...

Jewish law is quite clear that when it comes to saving a life, there is no question that one may overlook the prohibitions of Shabbat. In fact, the rabbis declare: "The Sabbath is superseded when life is threatened; and the more alacrity with which this is done, the greater is the praise" (Yoma 84b).

This ruling applies not only to doctors, but to all people. And the very same passage in the Talmud cited above goes on to offer numerous examples of life saving actions, such as a child falling into the sea or into a pit or extinguishing a fire. Cases such as these (drowning, fire) are most often clear-cut situations when a person must think and act fast in order to save the victim.

But what of those cases that are difficult to determine whether they are life threatening or not?

This, as in many instances of Jewish law, requires one to be an honest judge of the situation. The operative rule always is: one must always err on the side of caution and do whatever is necessary to save a life.

And while one is permitted to override the rules of Shabbat in order to save a life, one has to keep those laws at the forefront of one's thoughts and not violate Shabbat unnecessarily. For instance, if one does go to a hospital and has a choice of an automatic door or a manual door, one should use the manual door to avoid completing the circuit that activates the electric door (as long as it does not delay treatment).
This Treat was last posted on February 23, 2010.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The story of Hannah and her seven sons is the story of the Jewish resistance to Antiochus' attempts to Hellenize the Jewish people around 166 B.C.E.When Antiochus demanded that Hannah's sons bow down to an idol before him, Hannah's eldest son stepped forward and said: "What do you wish from us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers."The king had him tortured to death and demanded the same of the second son. He, too, and each of his brothers after him, refused and was summarily executed. Finally only Hannah and her youngest son remained.Antiochus begged the child not to be a martyr. He beseeched Hannah to convince her son to bow to the idol.Hannah, however, said to her son, "I carried you for nine months, nourished you for two years, and have provided you with everything until now. Look upon the heaven and the earth--God is the Creator of it all. Do not fear this tormentor, but be worthy of being with your brothers."When the young boy refused to yield, he too was put to death. As her child lay dying, Hannah requested that, when he arrived in heaven, he remind Abraham of how he (Abraham) had been willing to sacrifice one son to prove his loyalty to God, while she had sacrificed seven; for Abraham it had been a test, for her it was reality. Pleading with God that she should be considered worthy to join her children in the World to Come, Hannah, fearing torture, jumped from a roof and died.By teaching her sons that there are times one must give up even life itself for the sake of one's beliefs, Hannah made a stand that resonates with all who hear her story.This Treat was originally posted on December 7, 2012.

The events of Chanukah took place about 150 years after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE), whose death brought 40 years of civil war to his empire. Eventually, the empire was divided into 3 smaller empires: the Antigonid Empire in Greece, the Selucid Empire in Mesopotamia and Persia, and the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt, Judea and Cyrenaica (Libya). By the time Antiochus IV Epiphanes assumed the throne of the Selucid empire in 175 BCE, Judea was under Selucid control. He began his oppression of the Jewish people in 167 BCE, after his attempt to conquer Egypt was thwarted by threats from Rome. Antiochus's initial anger at the Judeans was for the ousting of Menelaus from the office of High Priest, to which Antiochus had appointed him.

The Maccabees redeemed Jerusalem and re-dedicated the Holy Temple in 165 BCE. While they won religious freedom, the Jews never completely regained their political independence. Jewish kings reigned, but were often vassals to greater political empires. Sadly, the era following the great Maccabean uprising is one known for corruption and treachery.

What does Noah’s son Yephet have to do with the story of Chanukah and the mitzvah of circumcision?

When the Syrian-Greeks sought to force Hellenization on the Judeans, one of the first mitzvot they outlawed was brit milah, circumcision. In fact, performing a brit milah on one’s child became a capital crime. The Syrian-Greeks found circumcision particularly offensive because of their own culture’s devotion to the beauty and perfection of the human body. The ancient Greeks are renowned for their sculptures and naked athletics. From the perspective of Hellenistic culture, the male body represented perfection. It was therefore unconscionable that the Jews should alter it, or maim it, especially by Divine decree.

The Greeks are known in the Bible as “Y’vanim,” the people of Yavan. They are, according to the sages, the direct descendants of Yavan, the son of Yephet, the son of Noah.

Have you ever heard of Yehudit (Judith), the daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, who saved her city, Bethulia, from destruction at the hands of the Syrian-Greek general Holofernes?

As the Jews in the town neared starvation due to the enemy siege, Yehudit told the elders that she had a plan to deliver the enemy into their hands, but they must not ask her about it. They must simply have faith in her. Knowing her reputation for wisdom and piety, they agreed.

Accompanied by one maidservant, Yehudit managed to gain an audience with Holofernes and told him that, for the sake of those suffering from the siege, she wanted the city to fall. She proposed to report to him, daily, on the town’s supplies and let him know when was best to strike.

After several days, Yehudit felt that she and her maidservant had gained the trust of the enemy. They came and went as they pleased.

When she told Holofernes that the city had no food left and that it would be good time to strike, he invited her to come alone to his tent to celebrate. She agreed, insisting that he partake of her ‘renowned’ goat-cheese. As he ate the salty cheese, Yehudit quenched his thirst with the heavy wine that she had brought with her. When Holofernes finally fell into a stupor from too much food and drink, Yehudit cut off his head with his own sword. The two women wrapped the head in a cloth and returned to Bethulia.

Yehudit instructed the Jewish elders to attack the Syrian-Greeks immediately.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Most Jewish holidays are marked not only by feasting and celebrations, but also by special prayers. On Biblical holidays, such as Passover and Rosh Hashana, these special prayers include an entire additional service (Musaf). On Chanukah and Purim, which are considered “post-Biblical” holidays because their observance was not commanded by God in the Torah, there is no additional service. However, to fulfill the desire to add further prayers of thanks and praise to these holidays, Al Hanisim is recited during the silent Amidah and Birkat Hamazon/Grace After Meals. (Additionally, on Chanukah only, Hallel is recited as part of the morning service.)The opening stanza of Al Hanisim, which is the same for both Chanukah and Purim, reads: “For the miracles, and for the salvation, and for the mighty deeds, and for the victories, and for the battles which You performed for our forefathers in those days, at this time.”At this point, the prayers diverge. On Chanukah, the text continues with a description of life under the Hellenists, of how the government “rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will.” It then continues to describe how, with God’s help, the enemy was delivered into the hands of Matityahu and his sons, who then purified the Temple, kindled the lights and “instituted these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name.”On Purim, the text describes Haman’s evil decree to “destroy, slaughter and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women.” Rather than describe the rest of the events narrated in the Book of Esther, the Purim Al Hanisim then praises God for the way in which he “foiled his [Haman’s] counsel and frustrated his intention.”Click here to listen to a musical rendition of Al Hanisim.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

"One who is diligent in lighting Chanukah candles will have children who are scholars" (Shabbat 23b).

The desire for scholarly children was actually one of the motivations for the custom of giving Chanukah gelt(money). In modern times, money has been replaced by Chanukah presents. What is the connection between Chanukah lights, intelligent children and gelt?

Publicizing the miracle of Chanukah is so important that even a pauper, who has no money at all, is required to borrow money in order to buy oil for lighting. People therefore began to give a little money (gelt) to the poor so that they would not be embarrassed or forced to ask for assistance. Because the idea of "being diligent in lighting the Chanukah lights" is primary in both giving to the poor and meriting wise children, it became the custom to give children gelt as a reward for studying. Children who were diligent in their studies were rewarded with a shiny coin.

While gifts are an offshoot of the holiday, they represent an important element of Chanukah--chinuch, Jewish education.

The Maccabees fought so that their children and their children's children would be able to study Torah freely and be knowledgeable about their Jewish heritage. Jewish children are taught about Judaism not only for today, but for posterity as well, as it says in Proverbs 22:6: "Educate a young person in his/her own way, when he/she grows old he/she will not turn from it."

Over time, the simple practice of giving gelt (coins or presents) became a Chanukah custom - and not just for children. In truth, however, it is not surprising that gift giving has moved beyond just children. In our own day and age, we, the adults, also need encouragement to learn about who we are and what our Jewish heritage means.

While Jewish holidays are known for their food (except Yom Kippur, of course), most of these foods are not known for being particularly healthy. Chanukah is no exception. Forget matzah or apples, those are healthy in comparison--pull out your deep fryer, because Chanukah is a celebration of oil.

Soufganiyot (that’s Hebrew for doughnut): Did you know that Homer Simpson’s favorite treat is a traditional Chanukah delight in Israel? Deep fried dough, most often filled with a pinch of jelly, is how Israelis celebrate the tiny cruse of oil found by the Maccabees. This tradition probably developed from the custom among some Sephardi Jews to celebrate Chanukah with bimuelos, which are best defined as a type of fritter.

According to Jewishrecipes.org, the Greek Sephardi community eat loukoumades, a popular, deep-fried Greek pastry comparable to a doughnut, coated with honey and cinnamon. “Romaniotes, the Jewish community in Byzantine Greece, called this pastry ‘Zvingous/Zvingoi.’... Today both Greek Jewish communities, Romaniotes and Sephardi--who immigrated to Greece five centuries ago--make these Chanukah treats.”

Latkes: (That’s Yiddish for pancake, in Hebrew they are called levivot):Read any children’s Chanukah book today and you’ll find descriptions of pancakes made of grated potato sizzling away in oil. But, potatoes were only introduced into European society in the 1500s (they originated in South America).

Prior to the introduction of the potato to the latke, Ashkenazi Jews celebrated Chanukah with cheese latkes. Same basic idea, yummy food fried into pancakes. Dairy, however, has its own special connection to Chanukah. Dairy foods were eaten as reminder of Judith(Yehudit), who, according to tradition, was a beautiful widow who beheaded an enemy general by plying him with cheese and wine until he fell asleep (read the complete story here).

Happy Chanukah. Now get out the griddle and enjoy!This Treat was published on December 12, 2012.